Grip Strength

Go to any hardware or home improvement store and find some spring clamps. They are much better and stiffer than the cheesy and weak grippers at the fitness stores. I got mine for $1.50 and I can squeeze them about 30 times before failure. Try to find ones that don't pinch your hands, there are some really good ones out there if you look around.

02-07-2008, 01:27 PM

tattoopierced1

at my old gym, we made a gripper you could put olympic weights on, it was pretty nice.

heavy grippers from the net yo, them things go 100, 150, 20, 250, 300(i'd be impressed if you could close this for reps on your first try), 350, 400, 450! this stuff will give you a monster grip.

i also do plate pinches, and hold 2 45's in my finger tips, for as long as i can, and fill old protein powder containers with sand and stick my hand in then push my fingers out to the sides and lift it, that will work well for your fingers....

heavy grippers from the net yo, them things go 100, 150, 20, 250, 300(i'd be impressed if you could close this for reps on your first try), 350, 400, 450! this stuff will give you a monster grip.

i also do plate pinches, and hold 2 45's in my finger tips, for as long as i can, and fill old protein powder containers with sand and stick my hand in then push my fingers out to the sides and lift it, that will work well for your fingers....

heavy grippers from the net yo, them things go 100, 150, 20, 250, 300(i'd be impressed if you could close this for reps on your first try), 350, 400, 450! this stuff will give you a monster grip.

i also do plate pinches, and hold 2 45's in my finger tips, for as long as i can, and fill old protein powder containers with sand and stick my hand in then push my fingers out to the sides and lift it, that will work well for your fingers....

2 45's? Are you putting the flat sides out? I train pinch grip a lot and can't even come close to 45's. In fact, of all the strongman types that I know, I'm not sure if any can do it.

02-14-2008, 03:01 PM

vision

Originally Posted by CryingEmo

Try COC grippers.

I started with the trainers, then got the #1's mastered them, bought the 1.5's, mastered them. Now I have the #2's and can close them maybe 4-5 times on a good day.

I look forward to the 2.5's. Maybe i'll even get the 3's one day.

How long did it take you to master #1? I've had them awhile but haven't worked on it consistently. I just started taking them seriously, I've been told I have a strong grip but I can't close these dang things!! I come so close but just can't do it!!

2 45's? Are you putting the flat sides out? I train pinch grip a lot and can't even come close to 45's. In fact, of all the strongman types that I know, I'm not sure if any can do it.

Okay, that's weird. I got a pair of 35s off the ground with no problem the first time I tried it. Getting up to two 45s didn't take all that much work. This was years ago, back when I was weighing 160ish and started lifting, but I'd been rockclimbing for a year or so. Seriously try the rockclimbing for insane grip strength and forarm size. There's 130 pound 14-year olds out there that put our grip strength to shame. I've lost a lot of that strength since I stopped climbing a few years back, and damn do I miss it.

I'm always repeating "rockclimbing, rockclimbing" in grip strength threads. You really can't understand the gripstrength that you develope from climbing. The pinch grip strength is especially weird, once you realize how little regular folks have. The strength you get from training your grip, or weightlifting is nothing like it.

The Truth is, there is no Truth.

02-14-2008, 09:02 PM

vision

Originally Posted by CryingEmo

I can close the #2's for 4-5 reps on a good day, but you can't do it on a day after you lift. You need like 4 days of rest before you can do it.

The funny thing is my grip isn't that strong when i shake peoples hands... because i usually give a girly handshake I guess.

Thats awesome man, so do you mean 4-5 days after working out grip heavy lifts like deadlifts, upperback and bicep stuff?

Most guys are bigger than me weight wise and I was raised to give a firm handshake and I guess I catch people off guard or something. I by no means do it intentionally and it kind of embarasses me because some guys wince and others get slightly uptight like I'm trying to show off or something. If I remember, because its so automatic for me, I let them squeeze first but I really hate wussy handshakes, they make me feel weird.

02-14-2008, 09:16 PM

vision

Originally Posted by bound

Okay, that's weird. I got a pair of 35s off the ground with no problem the first time I tried it. Getting up to two 45s didn't take all that much work. This was years ago, back when I was weighing 160ish and started lifting, but I'd been rockclimbing for a year or so. Seriously try the rockclimbing for insane grip strength and forarm size. There's 130 pound 14-year olds out there that put our grip strength to shame. I've lost a lot of that strength since I stopped climbing a few years back, and damn do I miss it.

I'm always repeating "rockclimbing, rockclimbing" in grip strength threads. You really can't understand the gripstrength that you develope from climbing. The pinch grip strength is especially weird, once you realize how little regular folks have. The strength you get from training your grip, or weightlifting is nothing like it.

QFT!! I also rock climbed for awhile and I know that helped a lot as far as grip went. I've also told guys to try rock climbing even if its the dumb rotating rock wall in the school gym. Its 100x better than doing wrist curls...

Okay, that's weird. I got a pair of 35s off the ground with no problem the first time I tried it. Getting up to two 45s didn't take all that much work. This was years ago, back when I was weighing 160ish and started lifting, but I'd been rockclimbing for a year or so. Seriously try the rockclimbing for insane grip strength and forarm size. There's 130 pound 14-year olds out there that put our grip strength to shame. I've lost a lot of that strength since I stopped climbing a few years back, and damn do I miss it.

I'm always repeating "rockclimbing, rockclimbing" in grip strength threads. You really can't understand the gripstrength that you develope from climbing. The pinch grip strength is especially weird, once you realize how little regular folks have. The strength you get from training your grip, or weightlifting is nothing like it.

Yeah rockclimbing will do it. There's an annual grip show around where I live which mostly strongman and PLer types enter. A few thin rockclimbers also do it and usually beat the hell out of most of the other giants. During a Hercules hold, where you hold on to like 300lb per hand being pulled to each side, some of the rockclimbers were actually lifted up off the floor.

The ability to change the resistance allows you to design different set protocols. The customizable ability makes it a winner in my book, opening up training variation. One of my favorite exercises is to pick a level where I can close it about 2 or 3 times, and just hold it closed on the first pull for as long as I can. Within a few days, your constantly improving.

The burn you can get on this thing is incredibe as well. Dropsetting, supersetting, static holds.. the possibilities on it are pretty fun.

Farmers walk, static holds, plate pinches also deadlifts all increase your hand strength. Also if you have dumbbells that are hex head ones. Grab the base of the dumbbell with your hand, and palm it like a basketball. Then squeeze with your hands, and fingers. That will dramatically increase your hand strength. Also you can take your gripper, and pinch it closed. Then take a 2.5 pound plate, and squeeze the plate in between then two pieces you squeeze, and see how long you can hold it.